Royal Rumble
Summary: Enchancia is hosting a competition called the Royal Rumble between their kingdom (as well as a few visiting members) and another kingdom called Carpus. However, what starts off as friendly rivalry quickly descends into madness as members from the opposing team start causing unnecessary drama and chaos. (Collab with MarionetteJ2X)
Disclaimer: Oh, boy… lol. I own the following: Corban, Alamea, Sir Finlay, Gabriella, Sapphire, Davina, Zinnia, Angel, Corban's new puppy named Ollie, and (if she shows up) Nina, and maybe a few others as well. All other OCs (especially Nana and Tanya) and the games belong to MarionetteJ2X (except a few that were from the show), and everything else is Craig Gerber's. Phew. Haha.
A/N: Anyone up for some riddles?! Well, that's fine. We'll let the guys handle this one. 😉 Also, in this chapter, you'll see what Zeke was planning at the end of the last chapter. You will also see the return of something that used to happen far more often in my stories when I first started writing, as requested by a few friends of mine. And a number of other…interesting turns of events. :D Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 7: Royal Rumble Day Four
The following morning, Calista blinked as she heard a soft knock at her door. She was already dressed for the day, and she'd just finished pulling her hair back into a ponytail, tying it off with a red ribbon to match the rest of her outfit. She walked over to the door and pulled it open, smiling softly at her visitor. "Angel…"
"Come with me," he told her quietly as he grasped her hand, pulling her into the hallway. "There is something I must show you."
Calista giggled as she followed him, their hands still linked. "Angel, why all the mystery?"
A knowing smile appeared on his face as he looked back at her. "You have known me for many moons now, my Chante. I think you know well that mystery surrounds me no matter what I do."
"Hmm, that's true…"
They made their way downstairs and toward the empty dining hall. Well, empty save two people… Violet was sitting with Baileywick at the huge table, both of them laughing and sharing a rather early breakfast together, all smiles as the good friends were reunited at last.
The teens stayed out of sight behind the door as they listened in on the other two.
"How are things going with that Brandon fellow?" Baileywick asked calmly as he sipped his tea, though he felt anything but 'calm' at the thought of the pushy steward trying to steal his friend's affections. Actually, it wasn't even that, exactly… He didn't care for the way that Brandon had all but thrown himself at Violet, who showed no interest in him whatsoever. Even after she'd turned him down, he continued pursuing. The line had to be drawn somewhere, and he hoped his dear friend was capable of doing so.
"It could be better," she admitted, sighing as she pushed some of her food around on her plate with her fork. "Although I basically told him to leave me alone, he doesn't seem to get the hint." She placed her fork down and glanced over at her former mentor. "I don't really know what to do, Mr. Baileywick. Nothing I say is getting through to the man."
"Hmm… Perhaps it's time for actions over words then." He frowned thoughtfully. "I admire your patience and consideration like always, Violet, but I think it's time for you to be firm. And I know you can do it, because I have seen you when you're at work and you have to keep the others in line." He smiled as she grinned sheepishly. "Honestly, I see a lot of myself in you sometimes."
"I did learn from the best," she told him kindly, placing one hand on his as he laughed.
"I'm sure there are better mentors out there than me, but I do appreciate the sentiment, Violet." He turned his hand over, cradling hers in the process. "And honestly… If you need my help verbally berating the man, just let me know."
Violet snickered and leaned over, kissing the former steward on the cheek, smiling as he blushed a bit, which didn't happen very often. "Thanks, but I think I can handle it." She released his hand and stood, gathering their plates. "I need to get back to work."
"Let me help you." Baileywick also stood and took his own plate back, smiling at her surprised look. "Humor me. This feels like old times, and call me selfish, but I don't really know if I'm ready to let that go yet."
She smiled softly. "It's just the dishes, Mr. Baileywick…"
"On the contrary." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's you, Violet. I wouldn't come out of retirement for just anyone, you know."
The stewardess giggled. "I know…" She then nodded. "Very well. Come on then."
When the dining hall was clear again, Calista turned to Angel. "Was this what you wanted to show me?"
"Not exactly… They just happened to be in the same room." He smiled and grasped her hand, pulling her into the room and over to one of the pillars. "I hid it here."
"You're rather brave, hiding anything in here." Calista laughed as he let go of her hand and walked behind the pillar. Her laughter died and a soft gasp escaped her lips as she saw what he was holding in his hands. "Angel…"
The other teen had a beautiful painting in his grasp. The frame was a golden brown with a few multi-colored feathers embossed in the wood. The portrait itself contained a dark background with the moon and stars overhead, and an image of their own likenesses embracing one another while each wearing white traditional clothing. Angel's right hand cupped Calista's cheek while her left hand rested on his shoulder.
"Angel…" Calista laughed softly, smiling adoringly at him. "Did…you make that?"
"I made the frame," he told her quietly. "And Princess Amber was kind enough to paint the portrait for me. But she had a condition."
The girl grinned. "Yes, that sounds like her… What was her condition?"
"I must remind you every day…" He set the portrait down between them and placed a hand on her cheek. "…how much I love you…"
Calista bit her lip before giggling, a pleased smile forming on her face. "That sounds like an Amber condition, all right… But I don't need her condition to remind me of your love for me." She reached out and hugged him, sighing as he returned the hug. "That's something I'm not likely to forget, Angel." She looked up at him curiously. "By the way, what is the occasion for the portrait anyway? It's not my birthday or any holiday…"
"I know." He kissed her forehead, causing her to smile more. "But my father always told me that occasions such as those are typical for delivering meaningful gifts. It is on the unexpected occasions that the gifts are remembered the most." He smiled as she laughed softly. "I suppose we shall see if he was correct."
"Well, I won't ever forget something as beautiful as this. Thank you, Angel." She kissed him once before leaning down and picking up the portrait. "I will put it in my room above my fireplace. That way, I'll always have you nearby."
Angel nodded at her words, his heart feeling warmer as she set the portrait aside and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him again.
Roland yawned as he sat up in his bed, noticing that Miranda was already dressed and playing a hand-stacking game with Corban, who was giggling each time she stopped and tickled him. He smiled at the cute sight. "Perhaps you two should have your own games set aside later."
"Yes," Miranda drawled sarcastically, "if I weren't busy running the kingdom while you and the others are trying to beat your rivals for a trophy." She grinned as he smiled sheepishly. "Kidding, of course… Mostly. But you'd better get up and get moving, Rollie. The next game isn't going to win itself."
"What's the game today, Daddy?" Corban asked curiously, his wide blue eyes staring at his father.
"The riddle game, son." He sighed. "Unfortunately, not my best field of expertise… But I'm sure some of the more intelligent people on our team, like Desmond and Sir Finlay, will be good at it."
"Don't sell yourself short, Roland," Miranda told him, gently patting his cheek. "You're intelligent too."
He smiled proudly.
She smirked. "You just don't show it as often." She snickered as his face fell and he pouted. "Again, just kidding."
"If you say so, Miranda." He leaned over and kissed her cheek before beginning to prepare for the day.
Sofia hummed happily as she hopped up the stairs to Cedric's workshop. Nana was clinging to her head while Tanya was ahead of her. The girls were wearing matching black and red dresses today (courtesy of Miranda), while Sofia was back in her outdoor outfit for the games.
It had taken a little bit of persuasion, but Sofia had finally talked Tanya into letting her put her hair into half-up pigtails to match Nana, who had easily allowed her guardian the opportunity. Tanya was a bit reluctant to allow anyone to touch her hair (apparently it had something to do with the Never Realm, but she wouldn't go into much detail), but she trusted Sofia enough to finally allow her to style her hair.
They reached the door and knocked, instantly amused at what they saw.
Cedric looked absolutely exhausted already, with his hair a complete mess and his game clothing rumpled, and there were dark circles under his eyes. The funniest thing, though, was that he appeared to have a tiny raven attached to his head.
"Cedric…" Sofia tapped her chin thoughtfully as Tanya stood aside, observing, and Nana still clung to her head. "Are you okay?"
"I'm honestly not sure," he told her, sighing as he noticed her looking at his head. "That…is a long story. But the abbreviated version is… I heard this little one crying outside my window last night, and I brought her inside. Wormy…" He looked toward the guilty-looking raven, who turned away. "…claims he heard nothing and slept through the entire thing. He just left the little one outside."
"Wormwood!" Sofia chided as she looked toward the bird. "How could you? She's just a baby."
"I swear I didn't hear anything," he responded, sounding incredibly truthful for once. "I was…having a fantastic dream about flying freely and eating all the food I wanted, so I was otherwise preoccupied."
"Is she your baby?" Tanya asked simply, causing the bird to caw in a flustered fashion.
"N-No! She's not mine…" Wormwood shook his head. "I don't know why everyone always thinks any baby raven belongs to me… I'm not that kind of bird!"
Sofia reached up and scooped the baby bird into her hands, smiling gently as the green-eyed raven stared back at her. "Can you understand me?"
"Mama?" the little one asked with a soft gasp.
"Huh? N-No, no, I'm not your mama…" She gently brushed the feathers on her back, smiling as the little one hummed happily. "What's your name?"
"I don't know… I gots losted. A big, mean birdy chased me here, and I don't know where I am!"
"It's okay, you're fine… You're in Enchancia. I'm Sofia. This is Cedric." She placed a hand on her partner's shoulder as he watched the princess speak to the bird, whom he couldn't understand. "The little girl on my head is Nana, and this little girl over here is Tanya. And that…" She pointed toward the other raven, who sighed. "…is Wormwood."
"Ohh… He looks like me!" The little raven beamed. "Daddy!" She held out her wings toward Wormwood, who balked.
"I am not your father!" Wormwood retorted, embarrassed beyond belief. "Let's set this matter straight, shall we? Those eggs the other day? They weren't mine. I've never seen those eggs in my life! I'm not exactly a 'family raven' and have little interest in being one."
"Aww…" The little bird sniffled. "No daddy… No mommy…" She wailed. "No happy life! Wahhhhh!"
"Wormwood," Cedric groaned, folding his arms, only hearing the chirping of the tiny bird, but clearly understanding that she was distressed. "Regardless of whether she's yours or not, could you at least be a little more sympathetic toward her?"
"Maybe we should try to find her mother," Tanya reasoned calmly. "It is not good for a little bird to be on her own."
"We'll have to try after the games today," Sofia told her before looking back at the tiny raven. "It would really help if you had a name, though…"
Nana gasped and gently tugged at Sofia's hair, getting her attention. She pointed toward a row of books.
The princess blinked before nodding and walking over to the books. "You have an idea, Nana?"
Nana nodded and reached out, grabbing a blue book with silver lettering. She opened it up to a page in the middle and turned it around to where Cedric could see it. She pointed toward a picture with a woman's name written beneath.
Cedric raised an eyebrow at the name. "Collette?"
Nana nodded proudly before handing him the book and climbing down to rest on Sofia's shoulder. She looked expectantly toward the little bird.
The tiny raven beamed at the name. "Collette! I gots a name! YAY!"
Sofia giggled at the tiny raven's reaction before walking over to the perch and setting her next to Wormwood. "That's awesome, Collette! And look, we have to go for a while, but you can hang out with Wormwood, okay?"
Collette gulped as she glanced up, noticing the annoyed look on the other bird's face. "He looks like he wants to eat me…"
"Ugh, I wouldn't do that to one of my own…" He paused, realizing how that had sounded, especially as he saw a mixture of surprised and smirking reactions from his crowd. "I don't mean it like that! I meant a raven. I would never… You know what? You'll be late if you don't leave already…"
Sofia laughed. "Saved by the games, huh?" She shook her head and turned to face Cedric. "Before we go, I think we need to fix your appearance. You look…tired."
"Hmm." He sighed. "I can't imagine why…" He smiled as she reached up and brushed her hands through his hair before gently smoothing her hands along his shirt, removing all the wrinkles from the fabric. "Thank you, Sofia…"
She smiled. "Of course, Cedric…" She took his hand in hers before reaching out toward Tanya, who took her other hand. "Let's go. Don't want to be late!" She turned back to the two ravens. "Wormwood, be good. And Collette, he'll take care of you, so be strong, okay? We'll be back later."
Collette nodded enthusiastically. "Bye, Sofia! And you other peoples!" As the others left, she glanced up at her temporary guardian. "You've gots lots of feathers. You're a big birdy."
Wormwood sighed before hanging his head. He could tell this was going to be a long day.
Brandon jumped as he felt a pair of strong hands clasp his shoulders, and he frowned as he looked behind him, seeing Zeke. "Could you not be so creepy, sneaking up on me like that?"
"You want to win the stewardess's affections, don't you?" the sorcerer challenged, smirking as his fellow worker nodded. "Well, then… Just do what I told you, and she'll be yours before sundown."
"And you're sure it's safe?" Brandon turned toward the sorcerer as the others were eating breakfast at the dining table, chatting and having a good time. Violet was steadily checking on everyone, like he had expected her to. "It's not going to make her sick or anything, right?"
"Of course not, Brandon…" Zeke smiled. "It's just going to make her realize what a…catch…you are…"
The steward grinned and nodded. "Yeah, my mom always told me I was a catch, and any lady would be lucky to have me."
Zeke faked the rest of his smile before turning and rolling his eyes, a grimace on his face. 'Mama's boy,' he thought to himself before clearing his throat and releasing the other man's shoulders. "Right. Well, just go up to her, and recite that little poem I taught you, and she'll be all yours."
"You said it would be 'before this week is up,' so wouldn't that mean it would take longer than that, or more than just a few words, to make her fall for me?"
The other man laughed and placed his hands on his hips. "See, this is why I'm the sorcerer and you're just a steward. You leave the magic to me. Now go, and remember… If you tell anyone that I'm the one who gave you this little gift, you'll regret it." He reached out with one hand and pushed him forward, smirking as he stumbled a bit before collecting himself and straightening his outfit, pressing on. "Buffoon…"
While the others were eating, Violet was seeing to it that everyone was taken care of, including Porter, who'd finally gotten the chance to just relax (thanks to Brandon dismissing him for a day while he plotted his plan with Zeke). The stewardess was kind and attentive, as always, and saw to it that breakfast went well.
She turned with a pitcher of water in her hands and nearly ran into Brandon, who'd walked up near her. She yelped softly before noticing him holding onto her arm, as if balancing her. "Um, thank you, Mr. Brandon. Lucky I didn't spill water on you." Whether she meant that or not, she wasn't sure.
He chuckled. "It's fine, Violet. Would you…mind if we talked for just a moment? Alone?" He released her arm and smiled disarmingly. "I promise, I won't pull anymore cringe-worthy stunts in trying to win your affections… I can take a hint."
"Hmm… Very well. But just for a minute." She placed the pitcher onto the table and walked into the corridor with him. She didn't notice that Baileywick and Nigel were nearby, chatting about something. "What is it?"
"You know, I can understand why someone as formidable and well-put-together as you would have little interest in me." He saw the confused expression on her face and cleared his throat. "Er… W-Well, my mother once told me something that makes complete sense now that I've experienced it…" He held up his hand, where a scribble of words had been penned on his palm.
Violet folded her arms as she waited for him to continue.
"Hearts of steel and minds of strength,
Open and bend to any length;
Be my molded lump of clay,
And in my arms, always stay."
A few moments later, Violet was still standing there, her arms folded, and a perplexed expression on her face. Seeing this, Brandon smiled uncertainly. "So…"
She blinked. "That's somethin' your mother told you? A creepy poem that sounds more like mind control?"
Baileywick, seeing the exchange, walked over with Nigel. "What's going on here?"
Violet stepped closer to her friend, sliding just a bit behind him and somewhat out of his view line.
"I don't understand," Brandon muttered, peering at his hand with a confused expression. "This was supposed to work."
Nigel walked over to the man and grabbed his wrist, looking at the messy writing on his hand. He frowned. "Looks like a disturbing form of a 'love spell' or something like that." He eyed the steward pointedly. "You really don't know how to take a hint, do you, boy?"
Brandon wanted to defend himself and blame Zeke, but he recalled the sorcerer's threat. He knew good and well what sort of damage that man could do… He'd seen him curse a few others in his lifetime, and completely obliterate others. He gulped, both at the thought of becoming Zeke's next victim, and of being caught red-handed in the midst of such a…stupid act. He really should have known better. "I'm…sorry…"
"He's sorry, everyone," Baileywick muttered sarcastically, shaking his head. "Because that makes it all right, doesn't it? I'm sorry, but it's one thing not to respect Violet's stance in the first place. It's another entirely to even attempt to sway her mind without her knowledge. The concept of a spell alone is bad, but the fact that you decided to use it, regardless of whether or not it works…" He narrowed his eyes toward the other man. "If it were me, I would have fired you already. But we'll see what your king has to say about this."
"N-No! Please…" He clasped his hands together. "King Hayden is a gracious man, but I've also seen his angry side… I don't want to be at his mercy, because other than this job, I have nothing else." He looked desperately toward Violet. "I get it. I'll leave you alone. You've made your point perfectly clear, and I'm very sorry for ever bothering you."
Violet took this information in before sighing and nodding. "Very well. We won't say anything… But if you so much as touch my arm again without my permission, that will change very quickly."
"Y-Yes, of course…" Sheepishly, Brandon turned and left, heading away from the others and supposedly back to his own room to stay out their line of sight.
"Are you all right, Violet?" Nigel asked as she turned to him. "Some people never learn to take a hint."
She smiled, especially as Baileywick linked an arm with her and placed his hand over hers. "I'm perfectly fine, Mr. Nigel." She grinned up at her former mentor. "I've got a good group of people watchin' out for me, after all."
Baileywick returned her smile. "Always, dear Violet. Always."
While the others were finishing up breakfast, Wormwood groaned as Collette had been using his back as a resting spot. "Do you mind? I have things to do, and you're sort of hindering me."
"What's 'hindering' mean?" Collette asked sweetly as she slid down from his back and beamed up at him.
"It means you're holding me back." He noticed that her beak seemed to be trembling, and her own green eyes were beginning to fill with tears. "N-No, no, look… None of that." He reached out and placed his wing on her head, causing her to blink at him. "You're a raven. Ravens are tough, and we don't let others hurt our feelings. Got it?"
She sniffled before nodding, grinning at him. "G-Got it!"
"Good." He sighed. "Well, I have to go. But… I suppose you'll have to come with me." He narrowed his eyes at her. "Can you fly well enough to go a bit of a distance?"
She giggled. "I'm a raven! I'm strong and fast! And I'm tough, like you, Wormy!" She squealed as she ran and jumped off the perch, flying toward the window above. "Come on! Let's go!"
Wormwood was admittedly impressed by her sudden switch in mood, and he smirked as he flew up toward her, nudging the window open with his talon. "Let's go, indeed."
The Raven Haven was busier than ever, with injured birds needing as much attention as possible. Nina was a bit overwhelmed with trying to handle an aging raven's delusional ramblings and another one with a thorn in his talon.
"Ugh, Wormwood, where are you?" she grumbled as she looked up, seeing Mr. Birdsong walking into the room to help. She smiled. Thank goodness for her human friend, although they couldn't understand each other. He always seemed to know when she needed help though, and for that she was extremely grateful.
She looked toward the window of the haven as a familiar presence entered, landing next to her. "Wormwood, where have you been?" she demanded, sighing. "You were supposed to be here an hour ago."
"I was a little…preoccupied." He moved out of the way, allowing her to see the little raven for the first time.
Nina gaped at him. "Who's this?"
"I'm Collette!" the little one exclaimed happily. "Wormy's human founded me when I losted my mommy, and the little baby human named me Collette! Hehe!"
The older female raven blinked at the rapid fire of information before gazing toward Wormwood. "So, she's lost?"
"A little bit," he responded, sighing as Collette climbed onto his back again. "And she's attached to me for some strange reason…"
Nina laughed. "There's just something about Wormwood, isn't there?" She smiled. "Well, you're forgiven then. How about this? We'll take care of our work here, and then later, we'll see if we can find her mom."
He nodded. "Very well. Ahh!" He yelped as Collette pulled at a few of his feathers. "Would you stop grooming my feathers?!"
Collette pouted as she leaned down to his vision, hanging over his head. "But they're messy!"
"I like them messy, so stop that!"
She giggled. "Okie-dokie, Wormy! I sorry!"
Nina giggled as Wormwood groaned. "This is going to be a long day…"
Breakfast finally ended, and the usual teams assembled inside this time, in the throne room. The spectators had conjured chairs on the side for them to watch.
Violet stepped up before the two teams. "Today's challenge is the Riddle Relay. Each person on each team will go up against another team member. They will be told a riddle, and the first to answer correctly scores a point for the team. The team with the most points by the end will win." She listened to the murmurs of approval before adding, "A few things… One, the questions may become more difficult as they go on. Two, you must wait for me to finish the riddle before you can answer. And three, you can only go one time for your team. That way, it's fair. Any questions?"
Everyone seemed fairly compliant with this challenge. It was likely best that the current challenge was inside today, as it had begun raining a few minutes ago. The teams decided the order of the riddle solvers and got into two lines while Violet stood before them, a book open to what was probably the riddles and responses page.
Cedric and Zeke were up first, both glaring at each other momentarily before looking back toward an expectant Violet. Seeing that they were ready, she began reading.
"I can't be touched, but I can hurt you worse than a cleaver to the abdomen. What am I?"
Zeke appeared to be completely confused. "Huh? What sort of riddle is-?"
"Words," Cedric responded firmly, casting another glare toward his former classmate.
The other sorcerer scoffed. "Right, like it would be that cheesy."
Violet shrugged. "That is the correct answer, actually."
"Show me!" Zeke reached for the book, but Nakamo, who was behind him, grabbed his arm to keep him in place. "Nakamo, release me. I have every right to question the authenticity of the response."
"You would not request such a thing if it had been King Roland who was your opponent," the shaman informed him seriously. "You only seek confirmation because it is the other royal sorcerer who is your challenger."
"But if it eases your mind…" Violet turned the book around, proving that Cedric was, indeed, correct. "Happy?"
Zeke wrenched his arm from the other man's grip, smiling sardonically toward the stewardess. "Ecstatic." He huffed and went to the back of his line.
Cedric nodded appreciatively toward Violet before doing the same.
Angel and Nakamo stepped up next, waiting for their riddle.
Violet flipped the page and read the next one. "I speak without a mouth. I have no body, but I come alive in the wind. What am I?"
Angel pondered the meaning of the puzzle but was unable to respond, since Nakamo beat him to it.
"An echo."
The stewardess nodded with a small smile. "Correct."
Angel smiled toward Nakamo. "Nicely played, Nakamo."
The older man chuckled before he and the other Native boy moved to the end of their lines.
Next up were Prince Daniel and Captain Thiago.
Violet sighed, laughing tiredly. "This next one is a bit long. Here you are: As I was traveling to Tangu, I met a man with six kangaroos; each kangaroo had six cloth bags; each cloth bag had six hats; each hat had six green ties; ties, hats, bags, kangaroos… How many were there going to Tangu?"
Daniel began counting on his fingers. "Okay, one, six… Uh, six…teen?"
Captain Thiago slowly smiled as he pointed toward Violet. "One."
"One?" the prince asked. "How do you get one when there's like a hundred kangaroos and hats and bags and ties and…?"
"Only one person was traveling to Tangu, Prince Daniel. The narrator. He saw all those things along the way, but it never said they were also going to Tangu."
"That's right," the stewardess agreed. "Only one was traveling to Tangu."
"That was tricky," Greylock told Sofia as she held Nana with Tanya leaning up against her side. "I'm glad I'm not in this one. I was never good at those sorts of riddles."
She grinned. "I am. Remember that time we had all those puzzles to solve at the Conjuror's Board?"
"Yes, and I'd rather not recall that, thanks." He laughed.
Sir Finlay and King Hayden were next, waiting patiently for their riddle.
Violet turned another page. "What do spells and a baby's laughter have in common?"
King Hayden tapped his chin before guessing, "They're…sometimes loud?"
Gabriella snorted as she rubbed Sapphire's back while Davina was playing with her hair. "Not going to disagree there, but…"
"Sorry, Your Majesty," Violet giggled. She turned to Sir Finlay.
"They're…both pure magic?"
She smiled. "That's correct!"
Gabriella grinned. "Yeah! That's my man!" She looked around, noticing the others were either staring strangely at her or snickering. "What? I'm cheering on my husband. Something wrong with that?"
"I like her," Yohanna told Seraphina as they laughed.
"Me too."
Gabriella smiled, pleased with herself.
Desmond and Rodney were up next, waiting for Violet to turn to the next page.
"Another long one, I'm afraid," she laughed. "Okay, here we go: A man discovers his window shattered, the shards of glass bespattered on the ground just outside his house. A set of bloody footsteps lead away from the window, yet they seem to fade into nothingness. Many of his belongings are either broken or missing. When he alerts the guards, the authorities immediately accuse the man of lying. Why?"
Rodney laughed. "This one's easy. Because footprints don't just disappear like that. There's no such things as ghosts."
Sofia laughed once, clearly disagreeing, especially since she'd had experiences with them before.
"Sorry, but that is incorrect," Violet informed the man. She looked toward the prince. "Care to try, Prince Desmond?"
"Hmm…" He retraced the story in his mind, closing his eyes to get a better mental image of Violet's words.
"Tick-tock, young prince," Zeke called from the back of the line. "We haven't got all day."
"Shut up, Zeke," Idris retorted from his spot in line as he turned to glare at the sorcerer. "You're such a whiner. Give the boy a break."
"Ugh…" Considering Idris was probably at least half a foot taller and more muscular than he was, Zeke wasn't about to challenge him now. He folded his arms and waited.
Desmond nervously rubbed his hands together after having been challenged like that, but he collected himself and smiled toward Violet. "I've got it. If he'd been robbed, the glass from the window would have been inside the house, not outside. Because if someone breaks in, that's where the glass goes: on the floor, not outside." He shrugged. "Regardless of the footprints, which were likely fake, and the broken or missing items, which he likely handled, the glass doesn't lie."
"Excellent, Prince Desmond!" the stewardess gushed as he grinned and left to the back of his line, along with Rodney. She nodded toward Roland and King Haegan, who were next. "Are you ready?"
"Born ready!" Haegan responded, laughing.
Roland smirked at the other man. "Agreed." He looked toward Violet. "Let's hear it, Violet."
"The more I clean, the filthier I become."
Haegan shouted loudly, jumping up and down and waving his hands, creating a rather comical scene as the others started laughing. "A feather duster! WHOO! I know 'cause I've actually used one before!" He then calmed down a bit, turning to grin at Roland, who couldn't stop laughing. "Too much?"
"A bit," the other king chortled as they left, only for Dante and Omari, both laughing, to step up in their place.
"That was great," Amber laughed, wiping tears from her eyes. "Oh, I needed that…" She smiled down at Alamea, who was awake and cooing a bit. "You liked that too, didn't you, sweetheart? Yes…"
Violet lifted her book and gave her attention to the new two. "A murderer is sentenced to death."
"Well, this got dark all of a sudden," Greylock laughed uneasily.
"He must choose among three rooms in order to remain alive and bypass his sentence. The first has a fire-breathing dragon, ready to strike. The second has absolutely nothing within its confines, except darkness, but it does emit a constant high frequency pitch that can drive anyone mad and ultimately destroy someone. The third has three tigers who have not eaten in two months. Which room should the murderer choose in order to stay alive?"
Before Dante could respond, Omari raised his hand and blurted out, "The third!" He waved one hand with a knowing smile. "Because if the tigers haven't eaten for two months, they're no longer alive. Tigers can only live up to two weeks without food."
"Why do you know that?" Rodney asked jokingly from near the end of the line.
"My father worked with endangered tigers in the outer lying regions of Carpus. Majestic creatures, but certainly not meant to be tampered with."
"He is right," Violet informed the others, leading to Team Carpus cheering.
"Darn," Dante laughed. "I knew that one too! Just gotta be faster I guess." He shook Omari's hand before they both retreated to the back of the lines.
James and Idris were up next, both standing side by side and giving Violet their full attention.
Violet smiled. "Next question… What is longer than 'forever?'"
Idris blinked at the seemingly random question. "Forever? Um… Nothing, right?"
She shook her head. "Sorry, sir. That's incorrect. Prince James?" She turned to the blonde knight.
James pondered the question for a few moments before grinning and pointing at her. "ETERNITY!"
Idris frowned. "How is that the answer?"
James grinned as he folded his arms. "Because, while they both mean almost the same thing… 'Eternity' is one letter longer than 'forever.' Write it down if you don't believe me."
Violet nodded. "That's right!"
Sofia laughed. "Go, James!" She grinned as he waved at her.
Idris laughed. "Wow… One of those riddles, eh? Impressive."
The next two up were Tarrant and Benson. Tarrant seemed a bit uncomfortable, since he wasn't sure what sort of question he'd get, and this wasn't exactly his area of expertise. Looking toward Benson, he had to wonder if he would be able to beat him. He gulped quietly and turned to Violet.
"Ready?" Seeing them nod, she read off the next question: "You can't see it, but it constantly moves, and once you lose it, you can't get it back."
Tarrant gasped, realizing he knew the answer. "Time! Time, time, time!" He looked over toward Nana, his main reason for visiting a few days ago in the first place, and offered the little girl a bittersweet smile. "I know that…better than just about anyone."
Benson chuckled. "Even I know that's right."
"It is," the stewardess confirmed. "Nicely done, Mr. Tarrant. The last two, Mr. Bonvis and Prince Kabir, will participate in quite a different riddle…" She nodded at them as the other two went to the back of the line. She then passed each of them a quill and a piece of parchment. "You'll want to sit for this one."
They blinked but did as she asked, sitting cross-legged on the floor as she spoke.
"This is the final riddle. You must write only the answer on your paper and nothing else. You will have five minutes to solve the riddle. There are rules, however. You cannot seek help from your teammates. You cannot destroy the riddle in any way. You will be disqualified if you answer incorrectly or go against any other rules. Any questions?" Hearing no response, she nodded. "You have five minutes, so begin now." She took out her pocket watch and began timing.
They looked at the papers and only saw the following written: "Question 1." Nothing else. Bonvis and Kabir both stared at their papers for a few moments, pondering Violet's words.
"Ugh, that one must be hard," Sofia admitted, frowning. "They both look confused."
Kabir tapped his chin with his quill before scribbling something on it, turning the paper face down. He sat back and waited on his opponent.
Bonvis knew he was running out of time. He could practically feel the seconds ticking down. This wasn't his strong suit. This was more of a Quilor question. His brother was always good at riddles like this, but…
It suddenly dawned on him. Violet's instructions… Question 1… Any questions? He wrote something on his paper and turned it face down, just as the stewardess called time.
Violet reached down and took the papers from the floor. "We will look at Prince Kabir's answer first. He wrote 'Answer 1.' That is…incorrect."
The whole Carpus team groaned in disappointment.
She then sifted the papers and smiled at Bonvis's response. "Mr. Bonvis wrote 'no.'"
"No?" Roland asked. "Just…no?"
Violet nodded toward them. "And…he's right."
"How?" Zeke called out from the line. "I want to know how 'no' is a correct answer."
Bonvis turned to him, a bit annoyed by the other sorcerer's demanding manner. "It's rather simple, actually. She gave us instructions, then she asked if there were any questions. The paper said one thing on it: Question 1. There was only one question, and she was the one who asked it: 'Any questions?' I had none, so I wrote 'no.' If I'd had any questions, I would have written 'yes.' Either response could have been correct, and I just happened to pick one of them. So there."
The sorcerer scoffed. "Pretty smug for a former villain, Mr. Enigma."
Bonvis wasn't sure how Zeke knew that information about him, but he wasn't about to let him get away with such a snide remark. "I wouldn't be talking, considering your behavior highlights you as a current villain." He smirked as he heard a bunch of 'ohhhs' from both teams. "Don't dish it if you can't take it."
Violet closed the book after the kings were able to get their teams calmed down. "With a score of six to four, Enchancia wins the challenge for Riddle Relay."
"Great job, you guys!" Seraphina called as the groups dispersed.
"Yay!" Davina cheered.
Everyone began going their own ways. Sofia could tell that Cedric wasn't as tired as he usually would be after one of these challenges, so she decided now was a good time to spend some quality time with him. After all, she had an idea she wanted to try…
She walked over to Cordelia, who had been watching the riddles with the rest of them, and whispered something to her. Receiving a nod, she grinned and ushered both Nana and Tanya toward the sorceress. "Thanks."
"Of course, dear," she chuckled. "You two have fun."
Sofia nodded and hurried over to Cedric, grasping his hands and startling him a bit. "Come with me."
He blinked. "Eh, r-right now? The girls?"
"With Cordelia. Come on." Without waiting for another response, she pulled him out the door.
"They certainly seem to be in a hurry," Captain Thiago chuckled.
Zeke frowned and huffed. "Never mind them. We just lost… Again! We're going to lose this whole thing."
"We sure will with that attitude," King Hayden admonished him. "What's gotten into you, Zeke? You're never like this…" He shook his head. "This competitive nature seems to have brought out the worst in you, and I'm not sure that's going to reflect well for you in the near future."
He sighed. "I apologize, King Hayden. I'll…try to do better." Of course, he knew better… He had a goal. And the main source of his goal had just left the room.
The Carpus king nodded. "Meanwhile, has anyone seen Brandon? He's been absent for a while."
Violet smiled secretively upon hearing that, but she never said a word.
"Sofia, where are you taking me?" Cedric laughed as she whirled around the castle, pulling him along with her. "You know that surprises and I aren't exactly 'friends' or whatever."
"I think you'll like this surprise though." She stopped before a somewhat familiar door from the past. A door that hadn't been opened in quite some time. She glanced up at him, seeing his face change to one of realization. "Remember this?"
He smiled, reaching down and taking her hand. "I see where this is going…" He reached out and turned the doorknob, using his wand to illuminate the space, and then he shut the door behind them. There, in the center of the room, was a piano that still appeared to be in brand new condition. It was only used on a few special occasions, after all. "Hello, old friend."
Sofia smiled as she took both of his hands, slowly pulling off his fingerless gloves, to his surprise. She winked at him. "Can't play well with them on, remember? Besides…" She tossed his gloves onto the piano before threading her fingers through his. "Your hands are soft… Strong and even a little calloused from a lot of hard work, but so gentle too…" She smiled fondly up at him, causing him to blush a bit. "Kind of like you…"
"Sofia…" He chuckled and kissed her fingers, causing her to blush this time. "I'm guessing you brought me here to…play the piano?"
"Mm, sort of. Come on." She grasped his arm and led him over to the piano bench, sitting down as he sat next to her. "Believe it or not, I've been practicing. I know you taught me a little about it a long time ago, but I've been learning secretly for a while too."
"Sneaky," he teased, nudging her. "I like that, though I wonder when you had time to do so considering all that you do." He smiled as she giggled. "So, what have you done, Sofia?"
She flexed her fingers and trailed them along the keys for a moment before beginning to play a soft tune. It was melodic and emotional, but inspirational and uplifting at the same time. The way her fingers effortlessly glided over the keys, Cedric would have sworn she was a natural-born player. But that wasn't the case… She'd had to teach herself this piece, for however long she'd been learning it.
When she finally finished, Cedric clapped a few times, causing her to laugh. "That's wonderful, Sofia. I really like the tune. Does it have a title?"
She nodded. "I just call it… 'Cedric.'" Hearing his soft gasp, she smiled shyly. "Because…it reminds me of you. It's both serious but fun at the same time, and it speaks to the heart." She took his hands and placed them on the keys. "Just like you… No one else has gotten to my heart the way you have."
Cedric chuckled as he began playing a few chords, watching as she followed along with the harmony. "I think it's safe to say that…I feel the same way."
They continued playing a few chords together, Cedric taking the low notes while Sofia took the high ones. And if their fingers happened to brush together a few times, they never spoke of it. It was all just a natural occurrence at this point, and most certainly a welcome one.
It had been a long day at the Raven Haven, and Wormwood was preparing to head back to the castle when he noticed that Collette was staring yearningly out the window. He moved over to her, staring out the window at the setting sun.
"Longing for something you don't remember?" he asked gently.
"I don't know," she sighed. "I just wish I remembered my Mama. You and Mama Nina are nice."
Wormwood was a bit taken aback by the little raven's title for his friend, but he wasn't really surprised how quickly she'd grown attached to her. Nina was a gentle soul, really, and she had natural instincts enough to make her feel welcome and loved. She'd always done that for him, after all…
"But I know I need my own Mama…"
"I know, little one. Maybe eventually, we'll be able to—"
They were startled when a flustered female raven nearly ran into the window, her beak loudly and rapidly beating against the glass.
Collette frowned before gasping. "That's my Mama!"
Nina, who'd overheard her, flew over from the other side of the room and landed next to Wormwood. "How do you know, Collette?"
"She's gots my eyes!" She nodded toward the other raven, who did indeed have the same shade of green eyes. "That's my Mama!"
Wormwood looked toward Nina, who sighed and nodded. "We should…"
"I know." She nodded. "It's for the best…"
After a long conversation with the little raven's mother (named Manzie), and finding out that she'd never actually been able to come up with Collette's name for some reason (which neither Wormwood nor Nina could understand, but chalked up to possible trauma from a flying accident the older raven had mentioned), the mother bird thanked them both for taking care of her daughter, and they flew off together at last.
"I'm really going to miss her, Wormwood," Nina sighed, trying to wipe a tear from her eyes. She smiled as Wormwood gently brushed it away with his wing. "It was kind of fun…having a little one around."
"But they're so much responsibility, Nina," he reminded her. "I've watched Cedric and Sofia taking care of Nana and Tanya, and I don't know how they do it… Well, actually, they do have a lot of support from the others in the castle, but that's beside the point. Offspring of any kind are a lot of work."
The blue-eyed raven scoffed. "I can't have one moment of thoughtful discussion without you bringing reality into it, can I?"
Wormwood smirked. "Sorry to disappoint you, Nina, but that's just my natural inclination. However…" His smirk altered to a smile as she rolled her eyes. "I must admit… It was sort of…fun…having…"
Nina blinked as he struggled to finish his sentence, and then a knowing smile formed on her beak.
"You know, a feathered…child around…" He cleared his throat. "A-And if one day, that little raven just so happens to…look more like…w-well, either of us, then…"
The female raven laughed before gently nudging him and cuddling closer to him. "If that's your way of saying something sentimental, you really need to work on it…"
Wormwood coughed. "I'm not too good with sentimental things, I'm afraid." He sighed and hummed thoughtfully as Nina nuzzled her head beneath his. "But…" He smiled. "Sometimes, I suppose, a little sentimentality is worth it."
She grinned, looking up at him. "You love me, don't you?"
He chuckled. "I could get used to you…"
Nina laughed. "Good to know." She pressed her beak against his. "I love you too, Wormwood."
Wormwood sighed, a soft smile appearing on his visage. "I know."
That night, after most had gone to sleep, Zeke was walking from the kitchen (where he'd gotten some late-night food) back to his room. However, he was instantly halted when he felt someone grab him and slam him into the wall. He smirked as he saw an angry Brandon glaring at him. "Got a problem?"
"I'm looking at my problem," Brandon snarled, angry. "What kind of game are you playing, Zeke? You told me that the spell would make Violet fall for me. It didn't work! And now she thinks I'm an absolute fool and creep."
"Well, you are, but—" He sneered at the man, who shoved him once again against the wall. "It's your own fault for believing that any spell can truly make someone 'fall in love' with you. That's a myth for the pathetic dreamers to latch onto when they have no hope." He placed his hands on the other man's shoulders and shoved him away, causing him to fall onto the floor as he hovered over him. "No one cares about you, Brandon, and no one ever will."
"I know about all the cheating you've been doing in the games," Brandon countered, pushing himself up onto his elbows. "I'll tell King Hayden."
"Huh, I should have known you'd figure that out… See, the thing is…" He pulled out his wand, aiming it toward the steward and smirking as a stream of dark magic trailed from the wand and onto Brandon, seeping into his veins and causing him to wince and whimper in pain. "If you tell them, then I'll be forced to resort to…less than legal actions. And we don't want that, do we?"
"S-Stop, Zeke! I won't tell!" He groaned as Zeke retracted his magic, smirking at him. "But… They'll figure it out soon enough. You're not exactly…being a team player anyway."
"Don't you worry your pretty boy head about that." He chuckled darkly as he glanced out the window toward Cedric's tower, noticing that it was dark. "By the time I'm done with everything, being a team player will be the last thing on anyone's mind…"
To be continued…
Next Chapter: Royal Rumble Day Five